A/N: My everlasting thanks to my new Beta reader Xaphrin. Please go check out her amazing stuff guys!
xXx
Cyborg rubbed his temples, whether to keep from crying or screaming he wasn't quite sure. He leaned against the auditorium door and stared at Argent. Taking a deep breath he began slowly. "So, let me run through this one more time, just to be sure I'm understanding this right. A quote 'strange boy' has been visiting Raven at your apartment." He ticked off the facts on his fingers. "You noticed her humming to herself while dancing when she thought you weren't looking. So, you decide to go into her room while she was away to get some answers. While in her room, you find her class schedule and the tickets to the dance recital, put two and two together, steal them, and hope that she doesn't notice. Have I got everything so far?"
Argent nodded, looking entirely too pleased with herself.
"Okay, you then called to invite all of us to the show with the lie that Raven had asked you to, and drag us all here in your hellishly small car. Once getting us here, you tell us the truth but only after the show has already started and we were sitting in the third row with no way to escape. Also, now that it is finally intermission we can't even leave because: a, you have the keys, and b, because Raven already saw that we're here so there's no point in trying to escape because we are dead men walking. Does that just about cover everything?" Cyborg finished, wildly waving his arms.
Argent grinned and took another swig of soda, drumming her fingers on the concession stand counter."Fantastic idea, right? She was so good in the first half and that wasn't even in a lead role. I can't wait to see her duet. It's gonna be killer."
Cyborg felt his still human eye twitch underneath his glamoured skin things were short circuiting.
"YES IT IS KILLER! BECAUSE WE ARE NOW ALL DEAD MEN! WHAT PART OF THIS IS ESCAPING YOU?! THERE IS NO 'FANTASTIC' JUST PAIN LOTS OF PAIN!" He grasped the neck of his shirt, tugging at the collar as if it was a noose. "You broke into Raven's room, which I cannot even begin to tell you how big a no-no that is, and if that wasn't bad enough YOU MADE US ALL ACCOMPLICES! This is obviously something she didn't want us to know about and you have just gone and told the whole damn world. Have you learned NOTHING from living with her?"
In a nearby corner Changeling had assumed a seated fetal position and stared ahead with eyes full of terror. "We're doomed, dude. DOOMED!"
Argent rolled her eyes.
"Oh, come on you guys are acting like Raven is some unholy terror. She's just a little shy and needed help coming out of her shell. I'm sure at the end of this she'll actually be happy that we showed her our support. Even if she's not, there's no reason to act like such babies." She waved them off. "She'll get over it. I mean you don't see Richard and me freaking out."
Nightwing looked at the slim New Zealander with utter disbelief. "For one thing," he said glaring at her, "don't assume that because I'm not shouting and flailing about that I'm not just as terrified as Victor and Gar. For another, Raven is a half-demon which by definition pretty much does make her an 'unholy terror'. Thirdly, you're not freaking out because you have no idea just how much wrath we have coming our way." Nightwing's glare glazed over momentarily with inward terror. He had seen hell, and it wore leotards. "You've never seen Raven furious. We all have before, and let me tell you, your worst nightmares don't compare with what she has in store for us. So, yeah I'm freaking out and you should be too."
The group fell silent as the lights dimmed announcing the end of intermission. Cyborg sighed and picked up Changeling by the scruff of his neck. "Time to face the music."
Changeling began to hysterically struggle as Cyborg dragged him along. "The end is nigh, man! NIGH! Raven is going to pull a full Mumbo and turn me into a LAMP!"
Behind them, Nightwing shook his head and saw with some satisfaction that a look of realization was beginning to dawn on Argent's face. Raven was going to make them all pay dearly but there was no stopping it now. The only thing to do is to grin and bear it.
He let out a slow breath. "Well, here we go."
xXx
When Raven spotted her four friends in the third row as the curtain opened for the first act, she nearly stormed off then and there. Struggling to keep up with the rest of the chorus as her mind ran through hundreds of scenarios, the edges of her vision tinged red with fury. She flew through a million stages of confusion and anger. How could they have found out about the recital? Where did they get the tickets? Who told them? How dare they even think about coming? Would they laugh?
Maybe it was a misunderstanding and they hadn't noticed her… this thought was short lived. Cyborg, Changeling, and Argent seemed to arguing in hushed whispers, oblivious to her angry glare, while Nightwing's eyes found hers and never left. Through the entire three dances that made up the first act his gaze lingered on her face with an expression she couldn't read.
Again: how dare they?
Nearly consumed by rage as the curtain fell for intermission, she stumbled from the stage. This is petty and stupid, she told herself, trying to calm down. You have fought and risked your life with these people and you're scared of them judging you over a stupid school show? Get a grip.
Yes, Gray!Raven answered back, but we've never been this exposed to them before. It's like the monks on Azarath said, 'to dance is to paint with your emotion'.
"Oh, shut up," she hissed under her breath and threw Gray!Raven down a mental black hole.
Duncan caught her wrist before she could storm out the door and escape. "Rachel, what happened? You were all over the place."
Raven smacked his hand away and began to pace, right now she couldn't deal with the emotions his aura wore like a neon sign. Not his and certainly not hers. She closed off her mind. "It's nothing."
Duncan softly took both her hands in his, holding her firmly in place and Raven briefly wondered at how small her fingers felt when held by his. "This isn't nothing. You took one look at the audience and your whole demeanor changed. You may think yourself pretty mysterious Ms. Roth…" He smiled and tilted her face upwards. "But you forget I've seen you dance these past few weeks. I can read you like a book."
Raven quickly pushed her duet partner away before he could see her blush.
"First off, no one can 'read me like a book' no matter how great you may think yourself to be. Secondly, stop touching me. And, thirdly, I'll be fine. I just didn't expect my friends to be here. While I'm ok -not thrilled of course- but ok to dance in front of strangers, knowing I have to go back out there in front of them..." She shook her head.
"You're embarrassed," he finished for her. Peeking out from behind the curtain, he searched the faces of the audience as they returned to their seats. "Which ones are they?" Raven pointed the four out as they retook their seats, still arguing between themselves. "Ah, come on, they don't look so bad. Although that one guy with the black hair looks like he's had a lemon shoved someplace unpleasant."
Raven snorted, unable to keep the smirk off her lips. "That's Richard, and he always looks like that, very solemn. When we were kids it was the perfect complement to my 'gloomy'."
"I've never thought of you as gloomy, wickedly sarcastic maybe, but never gloomy." He looked back out into the crowd. "I must say I'm disappointed. To hear you talk about these friends of yours and your fear of them, I was expecting some sort of monsters. I got to say it's kind of a let down to see that they're so normal."
Duncan leaned down and gently brushed his lips against her cheek. The kiss shocked Raven, it made her body hum and her face burn. But, before she could gather her wits and scold Duncan, the pair saw Professor Muntchin waving for them to take their places.
"Chin up," he whispered, playfully nudging her. "You'll be fine and your friends will love it. It'll be over before you know it so just hold together for a little longer. I'd hate for you to break down before you can show the world your genius."
Raven scoffed and elbowed him in the ribs. "And I'd hate for me to have to trip you while we're on stage and break your neck," she muttered back.
"Don't worry, I've gotten quite adept at missing your shin attacks." Positioned center-stage, Duncan held out his hand with a smile that, for a moment, made Raven forget what waited on the other side of the curtain. "Come on, it's now or never."
As the curtain rose, Raven defiantly straightened her spine and took Duncan's hand.
"Here we go."
xXx
Nightwing watched Raven soar across the stage, never once seeming to touch the floor. He had been blown away at seeing her dance in the first act, but this was completely different. He couldn't remember ever seeing her look so free. The unbridled joy on her face made his heart skip beats and he couldn't tear his eyes away. But, the thing that stopped his heart all together, was the man she was dancing with.
He recognized him as having been in the chorus with Raven, though Nightwing had hardly spared him a glance. But now Nightwing could see the way Raven was looking at him and the way he was looking at her. It made him want to jump on that stage, stop the dance, and tear the two of them apart. The dance might have been beautiful, but it was killing him.
That should be me she's smiling for, a part of him whispered.
As the song went on and the pair became more passionate in their movements, Nightwing could feel his anger rising. All those years that Raven had kept her heart locked away from him, never letting him in, how could she show it so easily to this stranger! It wasn't fair. For years he respected her boundaries, always protecting her and yet he was the one on the side lines while she held another man's hand. Just when he thought he could take no more, the music finally faded away. Nightwing watched Raven bow and leave the stage, still holding the red-haired man's hand.
That should be me.
xXx
"You two were fantastic! I mean, your audition was wonderful but this was a whole other level. Such passion. I cannot believe that I would find such talent in my beginner's class!" Professor Muntchin cooed, hugging both Duncan and Raven in turn.
The entire class had gathered outside the auditorium doors after the show's end to talk and laugh with each other and the audience. Cyborg, Changeling, Argent and Nightwing looked on as Muntchin sang the pair's praises. "Rachel dear, I do wish you'd let me put you in one of my advanced classes. Talent like yours should be nurtured. You were splendid too Duncan, I had no idea you had such enthusiasm. Your participation in my class has always been so lack luster."
Duncan smiled and gave Raven a little nudge. "I guess I just needed the right partner."
Nightwing interrupted the banter, eager to get Raven away from this man who looked at his former team mate with such gleaming eyes. "Rachel, Toni told us about a great place down town for us to go and celebrate. Why don't we head there for some drinks?"
"Yes," added Argent. "It's a great club that I've done a gig or two at, and since I now know you can dance..." she trailed off giving Raven an evil grin. "Oh, and you should come too, Duncan was it?"
Nightwing felt a vein in his temple throb. He could kill Argent.
"I'd love to, if you're sure that it would be ok," Duncan replied locking eyes with Nightwing.
Cyborg caught the exchange and piped up. "Yeah, man it's no problem. Oh wait," he said dramatically smacking his forehead and glaring at Argent. "We all road here in Toni's clown car. I don't think we can fit any more people unless we defy the laws of physics."
Duncan waved his hand dismissively. "Oh, that's no problem. I rode my bike here. Just tell me where the club is and Raven can ride with me. That way we don't have to unravel the fabric of life itself and everyone can go." His defiant gaze never wavered from Nightwing, though a Cheshire grin split his face. Nightwing's hand instinctively twitched to where his bo staff normally rested. There were at least several dozen ways he could kill this man with his bare hands. In that moment he relished imagining each one.
"Perfect!" Argent cried taking Cyborg and Changeling's arms and ushering them out the door. "The club's name is Silidons on First Street. We'll meet you there. Are you coming, Rich?"
"Yeah." Nightwing gave Duncan one last glare before following his three friends. "Right behind you." He called over his shoulder. Correction, he thought to himself, I am going to kill Argent.
xXx
A/N: I'll be traveling back to the States tomorrow and am not sure about my internet situation just yet so it may be a while till next chapter. Sorry :( But I promise to keep writing 'net or no 'net so I can spam you guys with love the moment I get it back.